Electrified vehicle conditioning using grid power

ABSTRACT

An exemplary method includes conditioning an electrified vehicle to maintain a target conditioning level using power from a grid source. The conditioning either lasts from a conclusion of a first drive cycle to the beginning of a second drive cycle that is subsequent the first drive cycle, or lasts from a conclusion of a first drive cycle for set time.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to conditioning an electrified vehicle usinggrid power, which can reduce the battery power required during a drivecycle and thus extend an electric driving range for the electrifiedvehicle.

BACKGROUND

Generally, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehiclesbecause electrified vehicles are selectively driven using one or morebattery-powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, bycontrast, are driven exclusively by an internal combustion engine. Theelectric machines can drive the electrified vehicles instead of, or inaddition to, an internal combustion engine. Example electrified vehiclesinclude all-electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-inhybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell vehicles, and batteryelectric vehicles (BEVs).

Batteries of electrified vehicles can be recharged at the conclusion ofa drive cycle using power from a grid source. The amount of power that abattery of an electrified vehicle can accept from the grid source can belimited by several factors including, the battery's state of charge andtemperature. In some situations, such as DC fast charge situations,significant power, in excess of the power required to charge thebattery, may be available from the grid source.

SUMMARY

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosureincludes, among other things, conditioning an electrified vehicle tomaintain a target conditioning level using power from a grid source. Theconditioning either lasts from a conclusion of a first drive cycle tothe beginning of a second drive cycle that is subsequent the first drivecycle, or lasts from a conclusion of a first drive cycle for set time

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method, the methodincludes heating an area of the electrified vehicle to raise atemperature of the area to a temperature target during the conditioning.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the temperature target is set by a user of the electrified vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method further includes overconditioning the area to a temperaturethat is higher than the temperature target.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the area is a cabin of the electrified vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method includes cooling an area of the electrified vehicle to lowera temperature of the area to a temperature target during theconditioning.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the temperature target is set by a user of the electrified vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method further comprises overconditioning the area to a temperaturethat is lower than the temperature target.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the area is a cabin of the electrified vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the area is a battery of the electrified vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method includes charging the battery using power from the gridsource during the conditioning.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the conditioning continues actively from the conclusion of the firstdrive cycle to the start of the second drive cycle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the set time is adjustable by a user of the electrified vehicle.

A method according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosureincludes, among other things, conditioning an electrified vehicle tomaintain a target conditioning level using power from a grid source. Theconditioning lasts from the end of a first drive cycle to the beginningof a second drive cycle that is subsequent the first drive cycle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method, theconditioning maintains a temperature of the vehicle to a temperaturetarget.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the method further comprises overconditioning the vehicle to atemperature that is intentionally adjusted higher or lower than atemperature target.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods,the target conditioning level is a temperature target that is a range oftemperatures.

An electrified vehicle conditioning assembly according to yet anotherexemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things,a controller that is activated to selectively direct power from a gridsource to an electrified vehicle. The power is used to condition theelectrified vehicle to maintain a target conditioning level. Thecontroller is configured to remain active from a conclusion of a drivecycle until a set time.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing assembly, the settime is adjustable by a user of the electrified vehicle.

The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs,the claims, or the following figures and description, including any oftheir various aspects or respective individual features, may be takenindependently or in any combination. Features described in connectionwith one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless suchfeatures are incompatible.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The various features and advantages of the disclosed examples willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the detaileddescription. The figures that accompany the detailed description can bebriefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an example electrified vehicle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow of an example method for overconditioning thevehicle of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates generally to charging a battery using grid powerand, in some examples, to using excess grid power to reduce energyconsumption during a drive cycle.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example electric vehicle 10 includes a battery14 to power an electric machine 18. The vehicle includes wheels 20driven by the electric machine 18. The electric machine 18 receiveselectric power from the battery 14 and converts the electric power totorque. The example battery 14 is a relatively high-voltage battery whencompared to other vehicle battery types, such as a 12-Volt accessorybattery.

The example vehicle 10 is an all-electric vehicle. In other examples,vehicle 10 is a hybrid electric vehicle, which selectively drives wheelsusing an internal combustion engine instead of, or in addition to, theelectric machine 18. In hybrid electric examples, the electric machine18 may selectively operate as a generator to recharge the battery 14.

The vehicle 10, when parked, can be plugged into a grid source 22, suchas a charging station. Power from the grid source 22 moves to thevehicle 10 and can be used for recharging the battery 14. Power from thegrid source 22 moves to the vehicle 10 and can be used for conditioningthe vehicle 10 to a target conditioning level.

Conditioning the vehicle 10 to the target conditioning level can includepowering a heater 26 to heat the battery 14. Heating the battery 14prior to a drive cycle can improve efficiencies when the vehicle 10 isthen driven in relatively cold conditions.

Conditioning the vehicle 10 to the target conditioning level can insteadinclude powering a chiller (not shown) to cool the battery 14. Coolingthe battery 14 prior to a drive cycle can improve efficiencies when thevehicle 10 is then driven in relatively warm conditions.

Conditioning the vehicle 10 can further include heating or cooling acabin 28 of the vehicle 10 using a heat exchanger 30.

Conditioning the vehicle 10 to the target conditioning level can stillfurther include heating or cooling seats of the vehicle 10, a steeringwheel of the vehicle 10, lubricants and other fluids of the vehicle 10,etc. That is, although conditioning is described primarily in connectionwith the battery 14 and the cabin 28, conditioning can include usingpower from the grid source 22 to heat or cool other areas of the vehicle10.

The target conditioning level, in this example, includes a temperaturetarget for the battery 14 and a temperature target for the cabin 28.Both of the example temperature targets are set by a user of the vehicle10. In other examples, one or both of the temperature targets is not setby the user and is instead determined by the vehicle 10, orpreprogrammed into the vehicle 10.

In this example, when the battery 14 is heated or cooled to thetemperature target, the battery 14 is heated or cooled to be within arange of, say two degrees Celsius, of the temperature target for thebattery 14 that is set by the user. Notably, the temperature of thebattery 14 does not need to be precisely at the temperature target setby the user to be considered maintained at the temperature target. Theactual temperature can vary somewhat from the temperature target set bythe user and still be considered at the temperature target.

An appropriate range of variation from the precise temperature targetset by the user can be two degrees Celsius. For example, if the usersets the temperature target for the battery 14 at twenty degreesCelsius, the heater 26 will maintain the battery 14 temperature to befrom eighteen to twenty-two degrees Celsius when the vehicle 10 isconnected to the grid source 22. Accordingly, if a temperature of thebattery 14 is eighteen degrees Celsius, the battery 14 is stillconsidered to be at the temperature target since the temperature of thebattery 14 is within an acceptable range for the temperature target.

Like the temperature target, the acceptable range may be programmed intothe vehicle 10 or may be adjustable by the user.

When the cabin 28 is heated or cooled to the temperature target, thecabin 28 is heated or cooled to be within a range of, say two degreesCelsius, of the temperature target for the cabin 28 that is set by theuser. As with the battery 14, the temperature of the cabin 28 does notneed to be precisely at the temperature target to be consideredmaintained at the temperature target. Some variation can be acceptable.

For example, if the user desires for the cabin 28 to have a temperatureof twenty degrees Celsius at the start of a drive cycle, the heatexchanger 30 will maintain the cabin 28 temperature to be from eighteento twenty-two degrees Celsius when the vehicle 10 is connected to thegrid source 22. Accordingly, if a temperature of the cabin 28 istwenty-two degrees Celsius, the cabin 28 is still considered to be atthe temperature target since the temperature of the cabin 28 is withinan acceptable range from the temperature target set by the user. Likethe acceptable range for the battery 14, an acceptable range around thetemperature target for the cabin 28 may be programmed into the vehicle10 or may be adjustable by the user.

In the prior art, vehicles have been preconditioned when connected togrid power source. Such vehicles start to be preconditioned in responseto a go-time. A user may, for example, program the vehicle to beginpreconditioning at a go-time, such as 6:00 am every morning. The priorart vehicles, however, do not maintain a target conditioning level fromthe end of a drive cycle to the start of a subsequent drive cycle or aset time.

In contrast to the prior art, in the example vehicle 10, theconditioning to maintain a target conditioning level lasts from theconclusion of an initial drive cycle until the start of a subsequentdrive cycle or until a set time. Maintaining the target conditioninglevel from the conclusion of an initial drive cycle can more efficientlyuse power from the grid source 22 than the conditioning in prior artvehicles.

If a driver of the vehicle 10 parks the vehicle 10 and plugs into thegrid source 22 at the conclusion of an initial drive cycle, the vehicle10 maintains the target conditioning level until expiration of a settime, such as thirty minutes, or until the beginning of the next drivecycle.

The set time can be adjustable by the user or could be programmed intothe vehicle 10.

Notably, in examples where the target conditioning level is maintainedfrom the conclusion of the initial drive cycle to the beginning of thenext drive cycle, the vehicle 10 will be conditioned to the targetconditioning level regardless when the next drive cycle begins. Forexample, if the driver leaves the vehicle 10 and then returns to thevehicle 10 sooner than initially expected, the driver can still beginthe next drive cycle with the vehicle 10 at the target conditioninglevel.

In some examples, the target conditioning level for the vehicle 10 caninvolve some amount of overconditioning. Overconditioning, for purposesof this disclosure, can involve the target conditioning level that ismaintained for the cabin 28 being a few degrees higher than atemperature target for the cabin 28, and even a few degrees higher thatthe acceptable range of temperatures where the cabin 28 is consider tobe at the temperature target.

For example, when the temperature target for the cabin 28 is twentydegrees Celsius, the cabin 28 is still considered at the temperaturetarget when a temperature of the cabin 28 is twenty-two degrees Celsius.Overconditioning can then raise the temperature of the cabin 28 abovetwenty-two degrees Celsius. Overconditioning can raise and maintain thetemperature of the cabin 28 to twenty-three degrees Celsius, forexample.

In other examples, the overconditioning can involve the targetconditioning level that is maintained for the cabin 28 or the battery 14being a few degrees lower than the temperature target for the cabin 28or the battery 14.

Notably, the overconditioning uses power from the grid source 22. Thus,when a drive cycle is started and the vehicle 10 is disconnected fromthe grid source 22, less power from the battery 14 is required to keepthe cabin 28, the battery 14, or both, at the temperature target.

For example, less power would be used during a drive cycle to maintainthe temperature at twenty degrees Celsius is the vehicle 10 begins thedrive cycle with the cabin 28 at twenty-three degrees Celsius versesbeginning the drive cycle with the cabin 28 at twenty-two degreesCelsius. The power saved due to the overconditioning can be used toextend a driving range for the vehicle 10.

If, when connected to the grid source 22, all of the power from the gridsource 22 is required to charge the battery 14 overconditioning, andeven conditioning, may not be an option.

The vehicle 10, in some examples, may permit the user to select ordeselect overconditioning as an option. The option may be presented asan “EXTEND ELECTRIC MODE” option. The option may be presented through auser interface within the vehicle.

The example vehicle includes a controller 40 that is used during theconditioning. The controller can receive as input data from the user,temperature sensors, and other areas of the vehicle 10.

The controller 40 can include a processor operatively linked to a memoryportion. The processor can be programmed to execute a conditioningprogram stored in the memory portion. The conditioning program may bestored in the memory portion as software code.

The program stored in the memory portion may include one or moreadditional or separate programs, each of which includes an orderedlisting of executable instructions for implementing logical functions.

The processor can be a custom made or commercially available processor,a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among severalprocessors associated with the controller 40, a semiconductor basedmicroprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set) or generally anydevice for executing software instructions.

The memory portion can include any one or combination of volatile memoryelements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM,VRAM, etc.)) and/or nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive,tape, CD-ROM, etc.). The memory may further incorporate electronic,magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that thememory can also have a distributed architecture, where variouscomponents are situated remotely from one another, but can be accessedby the processor.

Referring now to FIG. 2 with continuing reference to FIG. 1, a method100 is an example type of conditioning program executed by the processorof the controller 40 and stored within the memory portion of thecontroller 40.

The conditioning program of the method 100 is an overconditioningprogram that starts at a step 110. At a step 112, the method 100confirms whether the vehicle 10 is connected to the grid source 22. Ifno, the method 100 returns to the step 110. If yes, the method moves toa step 114.

At the step 114, the method 100 calculates whether the user has selectedan extended electric vehicle mode. If no, the method returns to the step110. If yes, the method 100 moves to a step 116.

At the step 116, the method 100 calculates if the full amount of powerfrom the grid source 22 is utilized. The full amount of power from thegrid source 22 may be utilized if the state of charge for the battery 14is relatively low, for example. If the state of charge is relativelyhigh, the full amount of power from the grid source 22 may not be usedand the excess power from the grid source 22 can be used forconditioning.

If the full amount of power from the grid source 22 is being utilized atthe step 116, the method returns to the step 110. If the full amount ofpower from the grid source 22 is not utilized, the method moves to astep 118.

At the step 118, the method 100 checks a temperature of the cabin 28 andthe battery 14. Sensors, such as thermocouples or thermistors, can beused to check these temperatures.

The method 100 then progresses to a step 120 where the method 100calculates if the temperature of the battery 14 is at a temperaturetarget. The step 120 may consider the temperature of the battery 14 tobe at the temperature target if the temperature of the battery 14 iswithin, say two degrees Celsius, of the temperature target.

The user may provide the temperature target. The temperature targetcould also be programmed into the vehicle 10.

If the temperature of the battery 14 is not at the temperature target,the method moves to a step 122. If the temperature of the battery 14 isat the temperature target, the method moves to a step 124.

At the step 122, the temperature of the battery 14 is raised or loweredin the step 122 at a rate that does not exceed the amount of power fromthe grid source 22 that is available in excess of the power from thegrid source 22 that is required to, for example, charge the battery 14.That is, the temperature of the battery 14 is not raised or lowered at arate that exceeds the amount of excess power available from the gridsource 22.

The method 100 moves from the step 122 to the step 124.

At the step 124, the method 100 calculates whether the temperature ofthe cabin 28 is at a temperature target, or, as with the battery 14,within a range of the temperature target. The user may establish thetemperature target for the cabin 28. The temperature target could alsobe programmed into the vehicle 10.

If the temperature of the cabin 28 is at the temperature target in thestep 124, the method 100 moves to the step 126 where the method 100ends. If the temperature of the cabin 28 is not at the temperaturetarget, or within an appropriate range of the temperature target in thestep 124, the method moves to the step 128.

In the step 128, the temperature of the cabin is overheated orovercooled using excess power from the grid source 22. The rate at whichthe cabin 28 is overheated or overcooled would not require power inexcess of that which is required to, for example, charge the battery 14.

After the overheating or overcooling in the step 128, the method 100moves to the step 126 where the method 100 ends.

The method 100 then continues to monitor the temperature of the battery14 and the cabin 28 while the vehicle 10 is on plug until the next drivecycle or until a set time expires. In other words, the example method100 can be continuous and ongoing while the vehicle 10 is connected tothe grid source 28.

The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature.Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may becomeapparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart fromthe essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of legal protectiongiven to this disclosure can only be determined by studying thefollowing claims.

We claim:
 1. A method, comprising: conditioning an electrified vehicleto maintain a target conditioning level using power from a grid source,the conditioning either lasting from a conclusion of a first drive cycleto the beginning of a second drive cycle that is subsequent the firstdrive cycle, or lasting from a conclusion of a first drive cycle for settime.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating an area ofthe electrified vehicle to raise a temperature of the area to atemperature target during the conditioning.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the temperature target is set by a user of the electrifiedvehicle.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising overconditioningthe area to a temperature that is higher than the temperature target. 5.The method of claim 2, wherein the area is a cabin of the electrifiedvehicle.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling an area ofthe electrified vehicle to lower a temperature of the area to atemperature target during the conditioning.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the temperature target is set by a user of the electrifiedvehicle.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising overconditioningthe area to a temperature that is lower than the temperature target. 9.The method of claim 6, wherein the area is a cabin of the electrifiedvehicle.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the area is a battery of theelectrified vehicle.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprisingcharging the battery using power from the grid source during theconditioning.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditioningcontinues actively from the conclusion of the first drive cycle to thestart of the second drive cycle.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein theset time is adjustable by a user of the electrified vehicle.
 14. Amethod, comprising: conditioning an electrified vehicle to maintain atarget conditioning level using power from a grid source, theconditioning lasting from the end of a first drive cycle to thebeginning of a second drive cycle that is subsequent the first drivecycle.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conditioning maintains atemperature of the vehicle to a temperature target.
 16. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising overconditioning the vehicle to atemperature that intentionally adjusted higher or lower than atemperature target.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the targetconditioning level is a target temperature that is a range oftemperatures.
 18. An electrified vehicle conditioning assembly,comprising: a controller that is activated to selectively direct powerfrom a grid source to an electrified vehicle, the power used tocondition the electrified vehicle to maintain a target conditioninglevel, the controller configured to remain active from a conclusion of adrive cycle until a set time.
 19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein theset time is adjustable by a user of the electrified vehicle.